Spirit Whispers
by BlackCypress
Summary: Halloween Fiction Submittal: One Hour per Chapter. Contets ended, but the story continues. SquallZell story, seifer included. Chapter 4 up as of now.
1. Angst

Title: Spirit Whispers   
Author: The Letter D (aka BlackCypress or The Bebop Cow)   
Rating: Leaving it un-rated until finished.   
Disclaimer: As usual, Squaresoft/Enix own all things FF8, yadda yadda. Hm. The song (Which is still the wrong one, not the one I wanted to use. I'll have to ask my mother for the proper one later) come from the church I attend actually. I have no idea what it's called or who did it. 

--

Zell stepped forward slowly, holding in his hands a platter of sweet smelling flowers and carefully cut sweet fruits. His hair brushed down and pulled back with a dark blue ribbon tassled with gold. Pale sky blue robes hung from his shoulders, spilling down beyond his feet so he had to kick out a little with every step, causing the cloth to flare and billow out before him so he wouldn't trip. 

In front of him was Quistis, with a pale red robe hanging around her, not having as much trouble with the length as Zell. Her hair was down around her shoulders as well, an uncommon sight around the garden. Her platter was adorned with breads of all sorts, sweets to sour dough's and rush nuts of river plants. Behind him was Squall, blessed with the only white robe in the procession, and carrying a wide bowl of water with rose petals drifting in its cool, clear, glass bowl. 

There were twelve of them in all, this precession, but Zell was concentrating on those behind and in front of him, rather afraid he'd trip on his robe and send it al crashing down around them. Neither looking left or right in this concentration, at all the students gathered into the large auditorium. The war may have been over between those living on the planet and the sorceress, but there were still border skirmishes and bandits to deal with, not to mention all the monsters. The Gardens weren't about to be abandon any time soon. 

One by one, platters and jugs of wine and juice were set about an alter that Selphie had set up for the occasion. Scattered around were large hollow blocks of wood and stumps, thickly crowded with pictures of all the students and SeeD's that had died in the war so recently passed. The room was dark, save for candles that were scattered across the room, and the single flame and holder that every student held, lighting the way. 

Some of them were crying. Soft sobs here and there, and a glimmer of a tear trail a on a stony face. An arm around a younger child, or plainly obvious grief over a lost friend. Everyone had lost someone. Not just Balamb, but Galbadia and Trabia as well. Each garden holding its own ceremony on this day, to send their wishes and their blessings to the dead, wherever they've gone. 

Each robed figure setting their platters where they could find space, bearing witness to the sea of dead faces before them in silence. Students, SeeD, Teachers, Civilians, Soldiers, Brothers, Sisters. Zell's face lacking the usual bright smile and chipper attitude he wore even in times of great danger. 

They closed their eyes to the images, and stood there in silence, each reaching for the others hands as the lights of the flames danced behind their eyes. Like the spirits of their lost brethren returning to the feast they'd made effort to lay out before them. Offerings of things they could take with them or bless upon their return. Slow and calculated breaths of all, before they started singing. 

"We come from the goddess,   
And to her we shall return,   
Like a drop of rain,   
Flowing to the ocean." 

More chant than song really, as their voices wove into each other, calling, beckoning, merging into one great voice. Those behind them slowly raising their shaken voices to join the ritual tune, until the room and the halls rang with their voices and the very foundation seemed to echo all their pain. Thresh and flux as some naturally harmonized, or others started a round. Still others just broke down and wept. 

So many dead. So many lost. 

Later that day when they had all dispersed off to private ceremonies or to sleep off the rest of the morning, Zell had pulled into more casual clothes and puled his hair back up into the normal style. Posing a bit in front of a mirror before he used a bit of temporary skin glue ('guaranteed to last six hours minimum!') to place two little horns on his forehead. A can of hairsprays coloring to fleck his hair a darker red and give it an almost fiery look, he grinned at himself in the mirror. A little more preparation and... 

When Squall opened his door after the rather insistent knocking that was rather typical of Zell, Squall mused over weather or not the spirits of the past really were roaming the halls, or if he was hallucinating. Zell had decided to dress himself up like Ifrit of all things. 

"Aren't you rather out of character for that?" An ebony brow rose an inch up his forehead at the grinning demon before him. 

"Says the guy wearing big white wings and a halo? Were you trying for Siren?" Zell teased. 

"Gah, I'm an angel, Chicken." 

"Don't call me that! You said you wouldn't call me that!" An almost instant triggered emotion. Actually stronger than it had been in the past years of torment from Seifer. Perhaps because their little group had bee broken apart by the war. Even though Seifer was maddeningly arrogant and a general pain in the ass, there as no one to take his place after they'd found him in amongst the dead. Its always hard to forget someone you spent your life growing up with. Some things even the Guardians couldn't change. 

"Alright, alright, calm down come in." He'd regretted saying it almost as soon as he did. Closing the door behind Zell once he was inside and moving in behind him. He slipped his arms around the smaller fighter and just held him in silence a moment. 

"Never thought I'd miss the bastard." Zell murmured, finally relaxing and leaning back into Squall's embrace. Few people realized Squall was a far deeper and caring individual despite his generally cold shoulder and show of arrogant pride. Through the war, both Zell and Rinoa had been there to support him through thick and thin. Zell the joker and buffoon while Rinoa played the role of the typical princess in distress. 

He'd opened up to them in time, but Rinoa had been smarter than that when Squall had told her that he loved her. It had been so forced and pressured out of him due to the times and the problems. Whenever really had a chance to experience her on the outside, and when he did, she'd seen him losing interest. She'd discussed this sight with Zell, and it had been her idea to leave the Garden and return home to try and make peace with those she'd left behind. 

Squall had been surprised by the change, but grateful. One night he'd just curled up in Zell's arms and spent the night crying. Breaking down from so much on his shoulders and trusting Zell enough to keep it to himself. 

And now, here they were, remembering things they'd never really expected to experience in their lives. With each other, with their friends, the garden and everything in general. 

"Did you call him already?" Zell asked after all this thinking, opening his eyes and looking up at Squall. 

Squall nodded, a little sadly. "Since last night. I don't think he wants to see us, Zell.. We're the reason he's dead, after all." And released his hold. 

"But Squall.." 

"No Zell. Just.. Look, we can try again tonight, but I don't want to think about Him right now, alright?" He looked at his love with pleading eyes. All he got was a nod and a smile and that was good enough for him. Zell took it a step forward, reaching his hand up to pull Squall's head down a little and kiss his lips, long and slow. 

Or it had been intended to be long and slow. Someone had decided to run through the halls crashing trash can lids together or something, hollering about Selphie's Masquerade ball and costume party. All of this had been her idea. Rather than mope around grieving or spending another day studying without relief, missions and teaching, she'd worked together a Day of the Dead celebration. She'd said something about getting the idea from Diablo or something, but where the real idea came from didn't particularly matter to anyone. She'd seemed to plan for everything, the good and the bad. 

"Aw man.." Zell pulled away from the Squall-Angel and sighed. "I didn't think that was until later." 

"Well. We could just stay here." Squall said with the most innocence he could muster. 

Zell seemed to be considering him a dark moment, but shook his head and pushed him towards his shoes. "Well have plenty of time for that later, Squall. Besides, we're guests of honor!" 

"Bah." Squall pouted slightly but compiled in getting his shoes on, glancing towards his own little alter in the corner of his room, a few pictures of people both Zell and Squall held dear upon it. They had decided to do these things together for each other support. Squall had been grateful for the idea and Zell had learned a lot about him since then.


	2. Masqurade

Title: Spirit Whispers  
Author: The Letter D (aka BlackCypress or The Bebop Cow)   
Rating: Leaving it un-rated until finished.   
Disclaimer: As usual, Squaresoft/Enix own all things FF8, yadda yadda. Hm. Sawblade Punk, Ying and Yang and Insectillid are all mine. The costume designs I came up with a while go, and the 'ying and yang' masks actually exist. I might scan them some time. Considering I only had an hour, I never got to write a song for the band to play or any silly dances. Oh well. 

--

Pushing through the small throng of costumed kids and teachers outside the ballroom working on their masks and costumes a bit more before entering with everyone else, Squall the angel and Ifrit Zell stepped into the enormous room, arm in arm. Immediately met with a wall of sound from song and chatter. Selphie had outdone herself. 

By the door, there were two people posing as Bite Bugs, deciding if they had to be staff, they'd be notably annoying about it, and make it all a joke. Anyone who didn't have a mask was given one and instructed to put it on, never mention their actual names, and to go in and have fun. At the stroke of midnight, everyone would be unmasked and all would get a surprise. 

The decorations within the ballroom were on the edge of being spectacular. Tables and chairs arranged around the rim o the ballroom, draped in flimsy black mesh silks, and nets, the chairs seeming to be coated in tiny black ivy leaves. Floating orbs of fire flickered and danced over every table and along the walls, in actuality being small ghosts and spirits that had been invited to the party as guests. They mingled and drifted about those living and costumed as well, treated as equals rather than dead or strange monsters to gain experience from. 

Small lights of red and orange had been strung along the ceiling and the struts of the window domes, pulsing and glimmering softly like little stars and giving the feeling of being under a foreign sky, and a different world. Staff for the festival trudged drunkenly through the dancers now and then, waiters decked out in the funeral clothes of the coffin makers waited on hand and misplaced foot for those who had desires of them. 

Just past the entrance there was a temporary water fountain flowing, but instead of water, it poured forth some form of punch, which several people had gathered around, scooping up drinks in cups shaped like scorched and hollowed horns, discussing lives they'd made up for their costumes or the days overall events to even the strange misty weather that seemed to fill the room. 

But truly, it was the people and all their costume designs that were the real attraction and made the tapestry complete. Within all the masses of figures, some were more notable than others, for sure. Zell kissed Squall's cheek suddenly, babbling something about running off to see if he could recognize anyone and left Squall defenseless and on his own, sporting a white sequined mask to go with his angel costume. 

"Kupo, Ku-pop!" The unmistakable cry of the Moogle moving by the punch fountain, passing out little red envelopes to all that entered, tucking them in mask straps or waistlines for those who hadn't thought of adding pockets to their designs. Passing on well wishes to every man, woman and child. Her body had been powdered white, and a careful design of bikini with white fur blended well together to make her seem nude without actually really showing anything at all. Plus the craftily created shredded red bat wings applied to her back, and a little springy stick atop her head bobbed drunkenly from the weight of the plush red ball that completed the costume. 

Squall found himself drawn deeper into the masses, normally highly uncomfortable in such highly massed functions, normally a wallflower, disinterested in everything this world had to offer. But within this ballroom, and within the little red envelope that had been tucked into his hand as he passed, this was something all together different and strange. There were familiar things, and many things he couldn't even begin to comprehend. It pulled him in, pushed and drew one out of the normal world and into the fantasy world of spirits and dreams. 

Something silver caught his eye and he turned to watch, wondering ay the stranger he saw skirting around the cliques of people and friends, pressing into them now and then, shaking his shaggily haired head. An odd costume resembling nothing recognizable. Seems many people had opted to try making their own costumes rather than follow idealistic copycats of guardians or cartoonized characters. This one seemed to have been developed out of two circular sawblades, fused and warped in differing directions. The blade spikes pulled down and curling inwards slightly so not to hurt surrounding individuals, and pierced through with bolts of broken metal and what looked like shower curtain rings. Grinning all the while as he moved in and out, surprising people. Tight silver pants that left nothing to the imagination hugged his long muscular legs, and a black mesh shirt with a few wandering silvery threads had been dropped over his body. Two perky nipples beneath sporting silver barbells peeking from beneath and teasingly inviting a wandering hand now and again from the owner. 

"What the hell?" Squall found himself muttering aloud in an almost irresponsible fashion. 

"Such language from the heavens above? Seems unlike you." Sprouted a female voice beside him. The voice had been so sudden that Shall jumped and recoiled to the side, casting a glare the way of the voice before stopping in his tracks and staring. 

He had almost mistaken for a ghost, another original costume that had wandered from waiter to waiter, picking up things speared by toothpicks or a glass of wine or some other notable treat. A sweet, gentle voice of this slender woman slipping out from behind a mask of fanning chocobo feathers. Soft and gentle down around the face of the mask, trailing down the cheeks, and broader wing and tail feathers fanning out around, giving off an almost soft sun like appearance. Her dress, though thin and almost seeming to be made of silk and tissues, proved to be plenty strong and only revealing in shape and not in who was beneath, nor what. Long blonde hair cascaded down behind her mask, silken as her dress, fresh off the corn cob. 

"What..?" Was about all the brunette could manage, staring in surprise at the waif of a woman before him. Wondering how she had gotten the effect of not appearing to be all there. 

"Don't know a chocobo goddess when you see one? No, I'd suppose not, the legend was just local to Winhill some years ago. Its cute really, I found stories about them in the library somewhere. Like it, Angel Boy?" 

"Actually. It is fairly good." Squall had to admit a few things now and then. Especially if he was supposed to be someone else here. He had to wear a different personality or they'd figure out who he was before the unmasking. How the hell had Selphie come up with this idea? He'd have to congratulate the girl later he supposed. 

His attention turned shortly from casual conversation with the Chocobo Goddess as he heard increasingly uproarus laughter, and shortly found the source. Zell had found someone to mingle with, telling jokes of increasingly devilish kind to another pair of costumed revelers. 

The two young men huddled together with Zell, their grins unmatched by even their fans, so proud of their costume they were. One man thin and a bit on the small side, the other almost the perfect image of the dream muscle man. The two of them had opted for gladiator style garb, leather chest pieces and flayed battle skirts, knee guards and sandals. However, they had also made a costume shop quite happy with the sheer amount of purple skin toner they'd bought and coated themselves over with. Great golden ring protruding from nose and horns adorning each head. The grinning duo had worked hard in a short amount of time to create the perfect costume of the Minotaur Brothers Guardian Force. 

Squall found himself smiling uncontrollably as it seemed the Guardian Force costumers were starting to gather together, Shiva and Siren mingling with the men, and he could see someone who had gone through a lot of trouble on making a Diablo costume just slipping through the door. His contemplation's of joining them to find out what they were doing were interrupted with the laughter of children bursting through the door and galloping through the crowd on all fours before popping up next to the dance floor. 

Some of the younger kids not yet within the range of pulling off the SeeD tasks and tests, had opted for something more innocent. Dressing themselves up with bright red spiked hair and oversized gloves. These four figures of Wink, Blink, Nod and Twitch had been used for years in teaching the youngest children the basic elements in how to fight and cast magic within Balamb Garden, and had eventually garnered their own little comic strip in a local newsprint. Streaking face paint, red pants clinging and white bellied red shirts with ruffles marked them all as creative little Moomba costumes. 

Squall found himself laughing along with everyone else, his heart lightened by the kids opting to have Twitch and Nod tumbling over each other on spotting a Coffin Waiter with a tray of cookies, while Wink and Blink prowled and strutted around before attacking each other in slapstick humor. They were pulling out all the stops to get the older people laughing along with them, making jokes and puns off strange code twitches they had all grown up with over the years that no one bothered to fix, or mocking some of the greater battles of over the last year of wars and troublesome border skirmishes. 

A glimpse of the house band Selphie had pulled together at the last minute showed an entire troupe of zombies playing their instruments, parts of their bodies seeming to peel off, the sag of half rotted organs peeking out of bone and flesh structures looking fairly convincing. If it wasn't for the observant eyes they all had of each player and singer breathing normally under all their makeup, they might have been the real deals. 

He let himself get lost, let himself go, his eyes witnessing as he was occasionally swept up in a dance, losing sight of Zell in a matter of minutes as the GF people had gone off on some side plot. Squall enjoyed himself, and managed to sue some of the dance moves Zell had taught him in secret, hitching up his robes for a slam-dance, and moshing a bit with some of the faster paced tracks until he felt free of everything that had hampered his mind up until now. He wasn't Squall anymore, he was just Angel Boy. 

Sometimes things he'd pass would turn his head, make him smile, make him lack, cause him wonderment and surprise. The young man strutting by with a helmet covered in reflective spikes, these strange growths trailing down the back of his neck and spine, to a tail that wagged from his rear end. An insectile costume that would put the colors of a Catchapillar to shame, yet seeming to be made of mantis like shelling and wood both at once, a mystical splay of nature at its finest of oddities. The two silent figures, androgynous and beyond guessing, in nothing more than dark grey tuxedoes styled after the SeeD uniforms and sporting strange black and white mask. One demonic and crafty looking, the other serene and regal, the ying to the others yang. Those mocking monsters in every day life, or twisted, cryptic tales lost in memory that could now only be found in books and stage plays. 

The hour of the unmasking was soon to be at hand. He hadn't known how long he'd been partying with everyone else, or when the GF players had returned. It didn't matter who was sweeping who off their feet anymore, just that everything was amazing and he was only just now realizing someone had probably spiked the punch during all the excitement as he was feeling just a bit woozy. 

And then, he was confronted by someone that, frankly, he had no idea how he missed before. Though many people had opted for bird feathered costumes or actual attempts at some of the aviarian species from around the world, none could possibly stand out more than the great sweeping arms swathed in fiery wings and coat of every color feather known to mankind. Plumes of feathers, almost tendril like in their manipulation off the mans fingers, and the brushed back look of the brilliant head dress. How anyone could miss the Phoenix costume was beyond comprehension. And yet, there it was. The tall stranger covered head to toe in this vibrant display of handiwork and color, Cutting in and sweeping the angel away off his feet. Cool and playful teal eyes staring down at him from behind the mask. Giving sensation of someone ever knowing, ever understanding, ever present. 

Quick of breath, he danced the last hour away with this mystical and rarely seen take upon the Phoenix. Feeling as though he was walking on air, cloaked in clouds, mesmerized and lost in these eyes. The wings surrounding him, pulling him in close and whispering soft things in his ear. Muffled by the sounds all around them, he could make out very few words. All of them heavily accented and really just sounding like an entirely different language all together. 

"Squall." 

His eyes snapped open at his name being called, looking around Hm a moment in confusion. The music starting to dye down as the cheerful and bouncy Moogle mounted the stage, waving to everyone to get their attention. The Phoenix man re;leasing him, merely holding his hand as the speech was made. Squall shrugged off the call of his name as fluke of his own mind and listened. 

"Alright boys and girls, lords and ladies! This is the moment you've been waiting for! The unmasking! On the count of three, everyone remove your masks and greet your partners! Don't forget, the ball will continue for another two hours, but you cant stay here after that, the Headmaster says we still got class tomorrow!" 

The recurrent groan at the mention of class was almost enough to bring the party down, but it was pushed back for the time being as the band started up some dramatic music, the Moogle waving her hands in the air, jumping up and down. "One!" 

The phoenix turned slightly to Squall, reaching up for his headdress.. Squall had already figured out the Moogle was Selphie, as no one else could pull off such a costume and manage to be Staff at the same time. 

"Two!" 

Squall reached up behind his head, starting to pull the strings in the back of his mask undone. He could hear Zell squealing in anticipation somewhere else. Or maybe that was someone else, he wasn't quite sure anymore. There had been an astonishing array of people around here, he had to say. 

"THREE! Take em off folks!" 

Squall pulled off his mask, looking around at all those around him. Some of them recognizing who he was and looking dumbfounded. Squall wasn't exactly the loosest person in the Garden after all. They had good reason to be surprised. 

But looking up at the man pulling off the phoenix headdress, none were more surprised than him. 

--

Don't you love suspense?


	3. Censored

Answering the weird fan base I seem to have developed:  
  
Hopemia: First chapter, Squall and zell would be talking about Seifer. Previous paragraphs should've mentioned that he's dead. And yes, theres more in the works, I just have to figure out another detail or two before I do another Hour timelimit.  
  
Trio-Wing: Seifer's dead, dear.  
  
Kursed SeeD: Oh.. Yeah, guess I should write something soon, huh? Mmm. Probably wont be until after october though. Er. Wait. If your reading this, I've probably posted a third chapter. *Cough* NEvermind.  
  
RikuNights: Blame it on the Fist and Ice yahoo group. It's all their fualt this fic exists and may actually continue existing. I havnt even met all the requirements yet. Namely, I have to actually finish it at some point. I'm going to see if I can do a chapter a week and see how it goes.  
  
To everyone in general:   
  
Read my other stuff damnit. Especially the Loopholes line, most people like those. *Grin, skitters off to do more chapteryness.*  
  
Title: Spirit Whispers  
  
Author: The Letter D (aka BlackCypress or The Bebop Cow)  
  
Rating: R for FFN, NC-17 for Fist and Ice (Yahoo group)  
  
Disclaimer: As usual, Squaresoft/Enix own all things FF8, yadda  
  
yadda. Theres two versions of this chapter. One which is going to be utterly uncut and open for Fist and Ice because I felt like writing Smut, and theother which is going to probably be butchured as hell for FFN, so they'll get plot but no sex unless they email me for the full versions or go join Fist and Ice.  
  
-----  
  
"Harder!" Zell cried, [24 words Cesored] uniting them as two souls in one body.   
  
Squall grunted, an almost mad look about him, eyes glazed from the night of lust and pleasure he'd been giving him since they'd abandon the masqurade. [6 words Censored] making Zell his a little more with every passing moment.  
  
Their bodies dimly lit with faint strobes of moonlight through the blinds on the window, and the three or four candles on the dresser he'd managed to light before Zell had tackled him into the bed.  
  
Zell gasped in sweet surrender as Squall obeyed his frenzied begging, [41 words Censored].   
  
Then there were those moments Squall [15 words Censored]. The little blond fighter so much tough skin on the outside, but whenever his [8 words Censored].  
  
All thoughts of Squall running out of the ballroom had been put aside. Zell had forgotten the pale look on the dark face of his lover, the abrupt dismissals of whatever had been bothering him. On the brink of losing the festive mood, Zell had suggested going back to Squall's room for a bit of fun and 'candy'.  
  
Sweat and [Censored] already adorned Zell's body, as they'd been [Censored] like plot bunnies for two or three hours, quite the pleasing time for anyone their age really. Squall [18 words Censored]. The spunky blonde had proved to be fantastic on [14 words Censored] before rolling over and sleeping. Squall found himself [13 words Censored].   
  
[12 words Censored], Zell pulled Squall down atop him, ignorant of the [13 words Censored], and just held him. Keeping him [Censored] as both panted like free divers breaking the surface.  
  
The candles danced and flickered softly, coming near the end of their little wicks, and wax drifting around in little tins set up to prevent them from leaking everywhere. The [9 words Censored], and moisture dotting along the inside of the window.   
  
Zell found Squall drifting off to sleep in his arms, nearly there himself as he watched the candles going dimmer, flames shrinking smaller until one by one they went out. A soft smile dancing about his lips as he considered the perfect ending for the perfect night. A few more minutes and the day of the dead would end, followed by the day of the spirits. Something he was told about by Selphie, but the afterglow of [Censored] was failing to inform him about.  
  
Tired out, and in the need for his sleep, he'd almost completely missed it. Nothing but a few strands of moonlight left and not a sound except for Squall's now measured breathing of sleep. His eyes almost shut, and catching it through the closing bars of his lashes, was a dim outline. A pooling of light from one of the afore mentioned strands of light.  
  
Faded, pale and not all there, as he thought about what he was looking at. Eyes opening a little more,lookin at the spot in the darkness that both absorbed and panned out the light. An effect he couldnt quite see as real, yet there he was looking at it. Slight movement and more of it was revealed. A shoulder, light curving over the very human shape, and onto a stretch of neck. The shapes of human bodies unmistakible to him now, from so much work as a child, and then real and vivid war. Zell knew things that many people in the world could never imagine.  
  
But he was also tired. Considering he wasnt dead either, in this weakened state, if it was indeed a person, it didnt seem intent on killing them. No feelings of being exposed in the comfort of his shared darkness, or senses of danger.  
  
Zell just smiled. And closed his eyes to sleep.  
  
Enteirly missing the soft sigh and the figure moving to sit on the floor and against the wall, looking over the room in the dark.   
  
Elsewhere within the garden, so late at night, there were still revelers up and grouped up. Some clening after the party, others still crowded around a table or two, talking, discussing whatever came to mind, some even in drunken stupor.   
  
One such small group contained a tired by very happy Selphie, still sporting her Moogle costume, though the white powder had been washed off her face and arms. Around her shoulders was the arm of Irvine, his sawbladed mask on the table, tight pants rather tighter than they should be at the moment, and Selphie batting at him now and then whenever he leaned in to whisper in her ear.  
  
Quistis fanned herself a little with the mask of chocobo feathers and smiled. "You throw one heck of a party Selphie. I think we should make this an annual event."  
  
"I can garuntee you it will be, Quisty, no doubt about it. especially if the Phennon over here keeps throwing celebration money our way." The little moogle woman grinned at the Pheonix bearing costumed individual, who'd opted to put his headdras back on after Squall fled the ballroom.  
  
"Just who is under there anyway? I was with the GF group when the unmasking went on." Nadia piped up, sitting on a backwards chair, a glass of champaign hanging from his hand. The thinner, smallerof the two Brothers guardian force. He'd been more obvious than some others, but he was stillproud of his costume.  
  
"Why, cant you guess?" The man said from under the birdish mask, teal eyes twinkling at those who hadnt guessed. "I suppose I'ts time I reveal myself once more then, hm?"  
  
Loosening velcros and straps that kept the mask on his head, feathered and strutted fingers removed it once more, and a brilliant white smile flashed to the others. Those who hadnt guessed staring in surprise, and those who had just laughing in amusement.  
  
"Laguna, you are one twisted guy." Nadia said after a moment, sipping his drink.  
  
Laguna only grinned wider as he set his mask down ont he table, pulling his hair out from the hot costume which he'd trade for a uniform later. "Why do you say that?"  
  
"Didnt you dance with Squall most the night? Your, ahem, Son?"  
  
"Well, he wont talk to me much normally, now will he. Besides, thats the most relaxed I've ever seen him. Sure, he may hate me now, but, really. A father couldnt possible take more pride in a son who can relax now and thne than a son whos an uptight bitch all the time, right?"  
  
Laughter echoed around the table, some sarcastic, others generally amused, and conversation continued off into the darknes of the night, nearly until the lights of morning.  
  
---  
  
Pardons to the fans for spelling on this one, Im exausted and posting this just before I collapsed into bed for another ten or twelve hours. 


	4. Ghosts

Title: Spirit Whispers (Part 4)  
  
Author: The Letter D (aka BlackCypress, The Bebop Cow or Eman Modnar)  
  
Rating: G, frighteningly enough, for this chapter.  
  
Disclaimer: FF8 and all its entrappings belong to Square-Enix. The made up stuff is all made up to fit the world. Eh, whatever. ITs a G RATED CHAPTER, so theres nothing special in it :p  
  
Warning: Crap, I added more plot. I really need to stop doing that.  
  
Writing time: 55 minutes. I ran out of witty banter.  
  
-----  
  
The soft tapping in the halls of steel toed boots, the rumpling sound of clothing. Low mumbled greetings as studdentpassed student. The firm nod of SeeD to everyone. And pats on the back to the one who'd suffered most of all. Ghostly whisps and trails spreading through the Garden's otherwise silent halls.   
  
Soft green eyes caressed the scenery out of every window, ripe with fruits and flowers, rolling hills and the mountians of the island in the distance. It was home, the home he'd always known, the home he longed for in his greatest times of need. Seeing as he couldnt remember his parents or much of anything else thanks to the GFs used to many times.  
  
His livelyhood had been spent in these halls. Though many had hated him for it, things had clearly changed without his presance. So much seemed to be muted in the Garden now. Not that he blamed them. Remembering all of them who had died, trying to call them home for the year.  
  
Seifer had been a bit surprised, sitting in the netherworld plains all alone, when soft songs and words reached his ears. That first time, it was like a brillian light had just turned on, surrounding him with love and warmth. Now he knew the calls as the prayers of his friennds. Now and then, when the wall between the world of the living and the dead was stong, he'd still catch a word or a phrase or two. He was dead, but they were still talking to him. Zell and Squall.  
  
Now he was in the garden, the Ether al barriers allowing him a single day in the year to communicate back to the ones who'd opened up to him after he was dead. Though he wasnt quite solid enough to be touched by anyone other than the other dead spirits from the war around him, he was intensly happy to be here.   
  
He continued to wander the halls, waiting for Zell and Squall to wake. He'd feel it when they did. They had always given his little alter, his little personal prayer shrine, a hello and greeting in the morning, and usually a parting word in the night. Quiet things, every day routines that had kept them together.  
  
He remembered, now and then, in the beginning. When Zell and Squall were first fostering their relationship. The droning voice of Squall would sometimes ripple across his skies and tell him things. Squall and he had shared a bond of understanding through rivalry and combat that few understood. True, Squall only really opened to Seifer after he died, but he had no complaints with this. It wasnt so bad when someone cared you were gone.  
  
Of course, Zell had his moments too. He had always sounded husky and out of breath, or babbling exitedly about something. Tboards, videogames, their first kiss. He wasnt completely sure when they had combined their alter and prayer space to him, but he'd found it to be a beutiful thing. Their twin songs, words frequently lost in the plane of death, weaving together aimed just for his ears.  
  
He smiled soft, pauising outside the Quad. A few early risers sitting under the trees with their lost spiritly friends, chatting about the events of the daybefore and around the year. The dead not speaking much of the netherworld. Each had their own personal torment to live through once they had died. Some judgement had been passed who knows how long ago that those who had killed others, either for lust of kill or colld blood of pay were to be sent into private hells.  
  
His was a plain white, rackled desert with dark menacing clouds always hovoring. Threatening to rain and let things crow, sending cold, harsh winds into his soul now and then. He was forced to wander, forced to thirst and hunger, forced to 'live' through such a cold and lonely place. But when the prayers came, he was rewarded with food and warmth. When they werent sending him things, the chills and the lonileness werent so bad, knowing they had long lives ahead of them.  
  
"Hey Seifer!"   
  
He turned and blinked at a young woman running up to him. She was alive, so he wasnt particularly surprised when she skidded to a halt and nearly passed through him. "Selphie? Shouldnt you be back at Trabia?"  
  
"Oh they can do without me for one measly little year. I'm going back next year though, and the year after that to Galbadia. Everyone wants me to do their ceremonies now. So much so they're trying to give me an offical title. Pretty funny huh?" She bounced up and down a little, having shosen to wear a long sundress for the occassionr ather than her usual covoralls. Still a bright orangy yellow, her favorite color.  
  
"Funny? I dont know Selphie. You seemed to enjoy the job more than anyone else ever did when I was around. I'd say go for it. And take that flirtations cowboy along with you. He's bad news around here."  
  
Selphie's eyes rounded. "How do you know about that?"  
  
Seifer grins slightly. "I got in last night and caught the end of the Ball. Do you realize just how many times he accidentally palmed a nice girl's behind?"  
  
Selphie slapped her hand to her forehead with a delightful smacking sound and groaned deeply.  
  
"I swear one of these days Im going to kill him."  
  
"Ohh, dont do that. When he dies he'll probably end up in a netherworld full of men." Seifer grinned immensly at the little partying teenybopper.  
  
"Dont even say that!" Voiced a male strangled cry. Turning, Seifer found himself laughing as Irvine was staggering down the hall twords them, clutching his head from the sound of his own voice. Hangovers ere a bitch.  
  
Selphie crossed her arms and smirked. "I told you to leave the Grat shots alone."  
  
"Whu..? What are Grat shots?" The Cowboy whispered as he tried to rub the sleep from his eyes.  
  
"The green things with candy tentacles sticking out of them. They were nintey five percent alchahol, dont you remember?"  
  
"Urrrgh. I think I'm going to puke." Tirvine whimpered, underlining the need with holding a hand to his mouth and his cheeks bulging out under his bloodshot eyes.  
  
"Not in the hall your not, Mister! Come here, right now!" Selphie grabbed Irvine by an elbow and started hustling him off to the closest bathroom. "Bye Seifer! I hope you see the boys today!"  
  
Still grinning, Seifer continued on. Poking his head in here and there through thr doors or walls, looking at happy reunions as people had started to wake, a few of the dead waving to him then shooing him off so they could greet their still living loved ones in privacy and peace.   
  
"Ahh, this is the life, eh?"   
  
Looking around, Seifer didnt see anything at first, so he looked lower, and found the spirit of a younger student wandering beside him. Yeton closer inspection, the suit didnt seem to be from Balamb garden at all, or anything else he could recognize.   
  
"Ehm, what do you mean by that, kid?"  
  
"Whoa, hey, watch who your calling kid here, I'm older than you are, Seifer."   
  
The spirit smiled up at him wwith remarkable gold eyes. He stopped and crouched, giving this person closer inspection. Those mysterious eyes seeming to hold some sort of styalized spiraling markings and The uniform seeming to shimmer a moment. Now it did look like Balamb's uniform. He frowned, sure it wassomething else before. And he nknew all of Balamb's students since the war. Who the hell was this?  
  
"Im sure you're wondering whats going on. But, I dont feel lite telling you right now. Its not particularly important." The spirit patted his shoulder and wandered down the hall twords the Infirmary. "Just keep enjoying what you've got, Seifer. You never know when its all going to end!"  
  
Condfused, the youth stood there a long moment, then shook his head. It must've been a ghost from some other past generation that had visited these halls. It wasnt completely unknown to happen. He'd seen the Guardian Forces meandering through now and then as well, usually off on some errand or another.  
  
He started to think about it though, as he moved along, waiting for the familliar pull. He could already feel the two of them starting tow ake, their life forces delicatly tied to his so strongly now that he was out here in their world. But he did wonder. What errands the dead could possibly running.   
  
But GFs werent precicly dead, no were they. They were more powers of the planet, moon and stars, werent they? And surely there were a few gods around, like Hyne, and who knows how many demi-gods and forces doing her bidding. His bidding. Whatever. But none of them had actually stopped to talk to him before. Still young and new to death. He hadnt really been even gone all that long from the living world.  
  
If he still had hair on the back of his neck, it'd probably be prickling up and warning him of something or another. He just suddenly felt uneasy. Not knowing about something, especially after the child's comments to him just seemed strange. Perhaps some higher planning was going on to end their souls existance. Or, as he repirmanded himself, he was just being paranoid and should go back to the dorms as his friends were shuffling about on their daily routine.  
  
-  
  
"Good morning Seifer!" Zell spoke to the alter, smiling as he could already hear laughter and conversations from the halls, names of people lost already echoing through the halls and outer areas of the Garden. But no Seifer graced their room. He crouched beside the alter and stared intently at one of their few pictures of him. He was snarlign at the cameraman that day, But thats how Zell remembered him best. Angry and standing up for himself. Even if he was a pain in the ass.  
  
Squall's hand found its place on Zell's shoulder, nestling up against his neck as he crouched beside him. He touched an onyx stone that absorbed their desires and sent them onwards to the one they directed them twords. "Good morning Seifer." Spoken in a quieter, softer tone than Zell.  
  
Behind them, seifer slipped through the wall in all his ghostly flamboyance and smiled, seeing the two of them crouch together. It was sweet how they subconcisouly kept close, lightly rubbing or touching, even whent hey werent doing anything particularly raunchy at the time. Oh yes he was aware of that too.  
  
"You two are so... Cute."   
  
As one, the two young men turned and brightened on seeing the ghost sttanding in their room, moving to crouch and settle down on their bed. The delacatly calculated smile on Squall's features and the wide giddy leering smile on Zell's features. Neother of them really seemed to completely master the innosence of a smile, from being soldiers too long, Seifer supposed.  
  
"You're here!" Zell sprang from Squall's grasp, danccind aroudn a bit, before trying to tackle the ghost on the bed, ultimatly passing through him and falling to thump against the wall. "Oof!"  
  
Seifer gasped and straightened as Zell had passed through him. Feeling like he'd been slammed and filled up with an enors ball of energy. Similar to beng stuck dead on with a Thundaga but without the pain. More filling than harmful. "Whoa. Zell, calm down, your overflowing."  
  
Squall chuckled, sanding slowly and moving to sit on the edge of the bed, pulling on Zell's arm and helping the kid to right himself. Neither had really bothered to put on anything more than shorts, so they were fairly bare and exposed to the ghostly form.   
  
"I see you've still been working out." Seifer said as he eyedSquall's form, nodding approvingly. He'd have to come back from the dead and kick his ass if he went all flabby on him.  
  
"Zell keeps me pretty occupied with that." Squall's smile widened into a slight grin.  
  
"You better belive it!" Zell chirped happily, wrapping his arms around his lover and perching his chin on Squall's shoulder. Side by side, two pairs of eyes watched the now laughing ghost.   
  
"You two..Hyne Above, its a wonder you two werent cralwing all over eachother sooner. Look at you now. How long didit really take you to figure out all this?" Seifer laughingly joked along with them, forgetting his worries, woes and fears, just feeling like he was part of something again.   
  
"Oh, uh, lets see here, probably when Rinoa started feeling up Squall in the transports." Zell mused and poked Squall in the ribs. "She said she got nothing out of him until I hopped in the car, and suddenly he was all horny and stuff."  
  
Squall blushed rather deep and sudden, swatting at Zell a bit. "It was only one time, for hynes sake." Muttered as an excuse of some sort.  
  
"Oh dont you deny it, you know you wanted me ever since Rinoa started getting all clingy on you."  
  
"I didnt say I denied it, did I?" Squall set about a little mind game with the youth, raising a chocolate brow at the little ball of hyperactive strength.  
  
"Hey, dont mess with my head, meanie!" Zell pouted, then scaled his eyes acrossto Seifer, changing the subject. "Did you get the food we sent?"  
  
Seifer just smiled, watching the two banter amongst themselves like real people instead of the constantly stressed soldiers they all had once been. War had that weird way of bringing people together, especially after it was all over. "Yeah. The fruits were really great, though I'd like to know who left me the half eaten ham sandiwch and partial Rex steak. Or was that an apology for the prunes?"  
  
Zell's turn to blush, though it wasn nearly as heavily as his lover's in the topic before. "Uh, er, yeah, my fualt. I.. Erm.. Yeah." Zell dramatically covored his eyes with one hand and moaned a little, as he'd beenc aught in some act or another.  
  
The rest of the day was spent laughing and conversing happily between the three. At length, the boys got their clotheson and gave seifer another tour of the place, pointing out new students and discussing work they were still doing. Mostly clearing up border skirmishes and trying to re-set the Galbadian empire as another player in the ruling countries, rather than be looked down upon as traitors. It was hard work, but they were making some headway.  
  
Seifer passed on to them the stories he'd from other spirts in the halls, just a few, not all that much. He did not yet mention the strange spirit however, as more likely than not, it was just some freak occurance. It left his mind about as soon as he thought about it, then they went off and hit the town for a little shopping and sharing of food and its essances. 


End file.
